Sant Kartar Singh Bhindranwale went on parchar missions not just inside Punjab but all across India including Calcutta and Bombay. Sant Kartar Singh would not eat food from the home of a manmukh. Only an amritdhari family could prepare the food for him. But it must be noted that if any family, be they Sikh or Punjabi, even if they were not amritdhari, wished to meet Sant jee, he would certainly go and encourage them to chhak amrit.

During Sant jee’s program in Bombay, a Punjabi Sikh (who was a truck driver) asked Sant jee to visit his home. Sant jee gave him a time he would arrive.
When that Punjabi Sikh left, other Singhs told Sant jee that he drank a lot of liquor and he also cut his hair and so it was best if Sant jee did not go to such a bujjer kurehitee’s home. It is important to note here that the Punjabi Sikh driver was quite poor and barely earned enough to eat twice a day. However the driver’s wife had complete faith in Guru Sahib. When she heard from other Sikh bibian that Sant jee was coming to Bombay, she pressed her husband to ask Sant jee to come to their home. She thought that if a Chardi Kala Singh who read bani would come to their home, perhaps everything would change for them. The truck driver had no interest in meeting Sant jee but upon being pressed, he invited Sant jee. When he returned home that day, he said to his wife, “That Sant does big programs and people beg him to come to their homes. What is he going to get by coming to our poor house?”

Arrival at the Home & Promise

The next day at the set time, Sant jee along with the other Singhs arrived at the home. Seeing them, the driver left his home and hid at the neighbours. He was afraid that if Sant jee saw he was an alcoholic he may receive a curse.
The wife however immediately put a washed sheet on the bed and asked Sant jee to take a seat. Sant jee sat down and saw that the wife was quickly warming milk. He called out, “Bibi! First call your husband. We’ll drink milk later.”

She went to the neighbour’s home and convinced her husband to come. Sant jee asked both to sit in front of him and he asked the driver, “Brother, what do you want to talk about?”

Instead of speaking, the driver put his hands together and hung his head. The wife however, with folded hands said with humility, “jee, our home is very poor. My husband spends more on liquor than what he earns. He doesn’t even say Vahiguru nor does he go to Sangat. Please bless our family.”

The driver shrunk ever further down and thought to himself that Sant jee will surely curse him now. Sant jee picked up his long arrow and lightly tapped the driver on the head and said, “well brother, what’s your name?”

The driver replied, “jee, Piara…”

“Brother, it’s not enough to be just Piara (beloved), you’re going to have to become Guru Ka Piara (Guru’s beloved). You have to chhak amrit and become a Singh. Become Piara Singh, the Guru’s son. In the future you are not to even think about liquor. You must stay away from the bujjer kurehits and adopt Sikhi. Both of you should chhak amrit and have your children also do the same. Go to Gurdwara every day. By listening to katha and kirtan, wash your sins and whenever there is a Satsangat nearby, go there along with your children. Vahiguru will himself have mercy on you. When you become tyar-bar-tyar then I will certainly take milk at your home.”

Both husband and wife promised to chhak amrit soon and Sant jee himself stood and did the ardaas. Jaikaras were shouted at the end.

Today, in short, Piara Singh does seva in the Punj Pyaray when amrit sinchaars take place in Bombay. Along with Sikh, great success came to his home and his business increased many fold.

Letter to Bhai Amrik Singh

Shahid Bhai Amrik Singh, Sant Kartar Singh’s son, was studying at Khalsa College in Amritsar when someone complained to Sant jee that he would eat food in the College cafeteria. Sant jee said that it was against Rehit to eat from just anywhere and this may have a bad influence on others. Sant jee wrote to Bhai Amrik Singh from Calcutta, where he was doing parchaar:

Ik Oankaar Sri Vahiguru Jee Kee Fateh

Young Harbhajan Singh [Bhai Amrik Singh was called Harbhajan Singh in the Jatha], please accept my Gur Fateh. The Jatha is happy and I hope you are also doing well. I sent a letter to our village but have not received a reply. The Jatha will leave Calcutta on 27 Fuggan to go to Sri Hazoor Sahib to celebrate Holla Mohalla and then there will be programs in Bombay.

I have heard that you are eating whatever from just any store. This is not right. Look at the honour of the Jatha, look at your own jeevan. I want you to make you a beautiful and strong preacher of Gurmat but you too must make your lifestyle high. I will be ashamed if someone says that Harbhajan Singh doesn’t keep rehit, doesn’t read bani and eats just anywhere. Don’t make any mistakes. Study with attention and get good marks. Be sure to read bani, keep rehit and then your studying will be fruitful, otherwise not. What more should I write? You are smart and you will understand this to be enough. May Maharaj do kirpa on you and keep you in Chardi Kala.

Fateh from the entire Jatha. Send me a letter in your own hand and tell me about how things are going in the village.

Servant of the Guru-Kartar Singh ‘Khalsa’

This letter was sent by hand through Baba Thara Singh who was to also personally tell Bhai Sahib not to eat anything from outside.

Later on, Bhai Sahib stopped eating from the cafeteria and began eating at the home of a local Gursikh, Bhai Avtar Singh.